Sainsbury’s and Argos have withdrawn three Tu tote bags from sale after they were found to contain excessive concentrations of phthalates.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards website describes them as presenting ‘a serious chemical risk.’
A spokesperson at Sainsbury’s said: ‘Sainsbury’s are recalling the above products due to excessive concentrations of phthalates, which pose a chemical safety risk. Prolonged exposure to phthalates may be harmful to human health. As a result, the products don’t meet Sainsbury’s safety requirements.
‘The products were sold through selected Sainsbury’s stores, the Tu website and the Argos website. We’re asking customers who have purchased any of these items to stop using them and return them to their local Sainsbury’s store for a full refund.’
The OPSS went further, saying the products present a ‘serious chemical risk because they contain excessive concentrations of phthalates. Phthalates may harm the health of children, potentially causing damage to the reproductive system.’
The website confirmed that the products failed to meet the requirements of the REACH Enforcement ( REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals.)
Phthalates are widely used to soften PVC plastics, but research shows they act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with the body’s hormonal systems. Because they leach easily into food, water and anything contacting human skin, exposure is described as virtually unavoidable.
Studies link phthalates to reproductive and developmental harm, including reduced semen quality and pregnancy loss, as well as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and thyroid damage. Children are especially vulnerable, with research suggesting around 20% already exceed safe cumulative exposure limits.
In response to the news, Sian Sutherland, Co-Founder of A Plastic Planet, said: ‘Shoppers buy a bag assuming it’s safe, yet once again phthalates, chemicals linked to harm to reproductive health and child development, have ended up on supermarket shelves and in people’s homes. These bags were only recalled after they had been sold and used, and the damage was done.
‘The evidence against phthalates is significant and growing, but regulation is failing to keep pace with the science. Consumers shouldn’t be left to discover these risks for themselves. Retailers must remove hazardous chemicals from their supply chains entirely, and the Government must ban harmful chemicals like phthalates outright, before anyone is exposed. We need to turn off the petro-toxic tap that keeps pumping chemical-laced plastic into our bodies.’